Do Friendships Always Last?
by HalfTheWorldAway
Summary: Rewritten with the help of Seadrance. They were friends, but the memories are fading, and will the friendship fade along with them? And if it does, will it become something more powerful? GaaOC.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, for all the existing fans of DFAL, I, Seadrance, who shares this account with Kunoichi-in-training, am not claiming to own this, as KiT wrote this. I just rewrote it. Enjoy.**

**For our new comers, I hope this lives up to whatever expectations you had for it!**

**Seadrance (& KiT)**

* * *

"Ahhhh! He's coming! RUN!" The children shouted in terror as the young boy offered them their ball back.

"Please, I don't want to hurt you... Don't run!" The children carried on running.

The rather small red-head watched them go sadly, his aqua eyes drifting across the playground of the local school. He froze, staring; there stood one girl, one girl who didn't run.

He vaguely remembered her name from roll-call; Hitaome… yes… Hitaome. He took in brown hair, short enough that it could only just brush her shoulders. It was her eyes, however, that glowed with beauty; teal.

Sand brushed past, blown up by the soft wind. Her teal eyes caught his aqua ones, almost the same colour, yet so very different. There they stood, each alone, at opposite ends of the playground, simply staring at each other, wondering.

Gaara almost took a step, but the teacher emerged from the classroom, looking scared and worried; the thought of what was so terrifying that twenty young children would stampede through the doors during recess time was unthinkable. She stopped, almost smiling, though still fearful, at the sight of the two children standing before her.

"Hitaome-chan," she called. "Gaara-sama. Recess is over," -indeed it was, the bell was ringing shrilly- "Please come inside."

The two obeyed, sneaking looks at each other as they did so. Gaara was awed, the look in her eyes, the lack of fear, simple curiosity and empathy, was beautiful. As he glanced at her one last time before passing through the doors, he decided, this girl was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in his six years of living.

* * *

For the first time, Gaara actually looked forward to school, for once, he knew, he wouldn't have to sit alone at lunch and recess, and during games, because it wouldn't be him watching the other children play together, it would be Hitaome playing alongside him.

'Why… why didn't I notice her before?' he wondered, looking out across the playground again the next day.

He watched her for a few minutes, watching her try, and fail, at building sandcastles. He smiled, and was surprised at just how _right_ it felt; it was different from usual, it felt indescribably _right_.

"Would you like some help?" he crouched beside her, whispering as though sharing some precious secret.

She looked up at him, smiling. That smile was so cute, the dimples in her cheeks when she did it, the way her eyes lifted happily, the way that one corner of her mouth rose a fraction more. She nodded silently, then, realizing, or thinking, she'd been rude, she spoke.

"Hai," she replied quietly, not quite whispering.

For the remainder of the twenty minutes they were allowed they were silent, only the sound of other children, and their hands packing the sand met their ears; because there was no need for words, simply being there together was enough.

* * *

For weeks the bond grew, and the two young children spent more and more time together, evolving into a close friendship.

On a particularly ordinary day in Sunagakure no Sato, a young girl, about six, was sitting in what could pass for a front garden with her mother. Very few people, if any, were lucky enough to have a garden in Suna, so the sparse trees and potted flowers in the shade of the verandah, was pretty good.

Hitaome looked up from her homework, which her mother was helping her with, and looked towards the gate. An excited red-headed boy appeared, panting, at the aforementioned gate. He looked up at her with excited aqua eyes.

"I- found- a- den!" he panted out.

"You did?" she asked, hurrying over, oblivious to her mother's amused and affectionate eyes on her back. "Where?"

"In the Suna Caves!" he replied.

Hitaome turned to her mother with pleading eyes. The woman was at first unsure as to whether she should let her daughter, her only child, her precious one, go to the caves alone, but that look in Hitaome's eyes, she'd never seen it there before. She looked at the small boy, at first she'd been suspicious of his intentions, wondering whether he wanted to hurt her precious baby, but he'd proved himself to be a sweet, if not shy child, so she trusted him.

"Gaara-chan," she called, "Come here a moment, please."

"Hai," he hurried over, looking a little nervous.

"Look after Hitaome-chan, she is very precious to me," she smiled, and stroked his hair briefly. "Please?"

"Hai!" he nodded.

The two ran towards the caves, the journey blending together in their memories as they laughed and chatted together. In no time at all, it seemed, the duo was standing in front of the cave Gaara had found earlier.

The entrance was small, just big enough for the two small children to squeeze through. There was sunlight filtering through, illuminating it, and blanketing even the most distant corners in pale light.

"This is it," Gaara announced proudly, looking at Hitaome sideways.

She was simply staring, awestruck at the caves, and barely heard the question. Gaara's eyes saddened a little, fearing that she wouldn't like it as much as he had thought she would.

"S-sugoi!" she gasped belated. "Sugoi!"

He smiled happily, and sat down near the middle, his hands finding something there, just where he'd left it earlier. Hitaome sat opposite him, enjoying the warmth of the sun and looking around avidly. Gaara looked at her hands, which were sitting in her lap, and swallowed. With a shaking hand, he reached out and took one of hers carefully, almost scared he'd hurt her. She blinking in surprise, and looked towards him curiously. He pressed something hard and cool into her palm, and withdrew his hand.

She looked at it.

"It's a friendship stone," he explained nervously.

She looked at the broken stone, it seemed like it had been specially cut to fit another. She looked at his hands, and saw another rock, just the same as hers, held there. Gaara noticed her gaze, and held it out bashfully.

"See, I have the other half," he explained.

"Two halves of one whole…" she whispered, holding out her stone. "Just like us… best friends…"

They held their hands close, the stones meeting to lock almost seamlessly. They smiled at each other.

"Two halves of the same whole," she said quietly. "Like us."

"Because without each other," he continued.

"We're not complete," the breathed together.

* * *

Hitaome entered the kitchen one cloudy morning in Suna, the clouds looked like rain clouds, so the village elders were happy. She now wore the stone in a pouch around her neck, so part of her was always with Gaara.

She was smiling happily as she sat at the table, ready to start her breakfast with her family as usual, listen to her father's tales of missions, or her mother's of how they had come to have Hitaome. But her father spoke in a serious voice, and it wasn't his story-telling voice. She was quiet.

"Hitaome, honey," he said gently. "There's something that we need to tell you."

She looked at him, her smile, which had lingered hopefully, faded. She might have been you, but she knew a serious voice that wasn't a story-telling voice meant she had to listen, because it was something important, possibly bad.

"Honey, we're moving."

She stared at him, unable to comprehend what he'd told her. With two words, he'd uprooted her life, put it in a blender, and handed it back to her. Tears were starting to well up, and her head felt heavy. She lowered her eyes, and her head, so that she was looking at the floor.

"Hitaome, please look at me," her father said, sounding regretful.

She looked up, as instructed, and met his eyes with her own tear-filled ones.

"I know that this is hard for you," he said, starting to stand. "Especially because you've become such good friends with… Gaara."

She noted the pause dully, but didn't really hear his words. Her sadness was giving way to rage.

"You… how could you understand?!" she shouted, standing up with her fists clenched. "You don't understand at all! He's my best friend! He's my only friend! He gave me this! Look! We're two halves of the same whole! Incomplete without each other! Would you tear me in half? Because that's what you're doing!"

Why was her face wet? She was angry! So why was her face wet? She brushed a hand to her cheek, and dropped the small bag, so it fell onto her chest. She looked at the wetness on her hand, and realized that she was crying.

"Come here honey," her mother offered, her arms open to her. "Shh, baby. I know it's hard, I know."

Hitaome cried for so long she lost track of time.

* * *

Later that morning, Gaara was waiting by what was quite possibly the only tree in Suna. It was huge, and stretched far higher than even the man Gaara knew was his father was tall. He wasn't sure what a father was supposed to be like, but he had a vague idea from what Hitaome had told him of her father that his own father wasn't like that.

This tree was special to him, because it was where he and Hitaome had carved their names into the trunk. The letters were clumsy, and they weren't very deep, but they were there. This tree was where he waited for her each day, but today, she was late.

Worried, and a little hurt, he had wandered through village, not feeling the looks of hatred and fear he always received. His feet brought him to Hitaome's house, but it was empty. Confused, he began to head back to the tree, but he stopped, his eyes finding a sign that hadn't been there the last time. For Sale.

His heart thudded in his chest, the pain that had softened over the weeks with Hitaome, stabbed sharply back, almost stronger. He continued his way to the tree, feeling utterly confused, and pained.

* * *

"Mum! Please?" Hitaome begged, looking imploringly up at her mother. "Please? I can't leave without saying goodbye!"

Her mother looked at her, then sighed. "Very well, but hurry back."

Hitaome ran through the village, heading to their Meeting Tree. The tree stood just outside the main district, but close enough to both their houses. It was very tall, so she could always find it easily. Somehow, she knew she could have found it in her sleep, if Gaara was there waiting.

"I… I missed him," she murmured sadly. "He… I must have come too late, and he gave up."

She sat down at the base of the tree, and pulled the bag out of her shirt, stroking it gently. Her teal eyes watched sadly, looking down at the village that she was to leave that same day. They brightened a little as she took in a familiar red-head.

"Gaara-kun!" she shouted, running towards him.

Gaara looked up from the ground, he'd been walking silently towards the tree, but the voice of his best friend had caught his attention.

"Hitaome? I… I thought you didn't want to meet with me anymore," he said sadly as she stopped in front of him.

"I… I do want to meet with you," she replied honestly, then painfully continued. "But I can't."

"D… does your Dad not trust me?" he asked, a little angry, but mostly hurt. "Does he not want you to be around me anymore? I can prove it to him! I can, I'll promise hi-."

"It's not that," she interrupted. "I'm moving… to Konoha."

Silence reigned.

"W… Why are you leaving me? D-did I do something wrong?" Gaara asked anxiously, gripping her shoulders and looking into her eyes. "I… Do you not want to be my friend anymore? Did I… am I boring?"

"NO!" Hitaome shook her head. "No! We'll always be friends! I promise!"

"Hitaome!" her father called, appearing at the bottom of the street. "We're leaving now! Hurry!"

"Gaara," she looked at him, starting to pull away, but holding his hands carefully in hers. "I'll come back… I promise!"

"Hitaome."

She was gone, or leaving, and nothing lingered but the stone resting over his heart, identical to the one over hers.

"Hitaome! You'd better come back to me soon!" he yelled.

She half turned, smiling at him, but then she was gone, and Gaara was alone again. No more best friend by his side. No more Hitaome.

* * *

"Gaara… Gaara…" she called, then brushed her hand against his shoulder. "Are you asleep?"

"No, Temari," he said icily. "I don't sleep, remember?"

"Gomen, Gaara," she apologized. "We're in Konoha, and the Chuunin exams are right around the corner.

He said nothing.

* * *

**Please review, we both love the feedback :3**

**Seadrance (& KiT)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yes, it's an update! Unfortunately, we have two reviews (yes, it says three, but if you have a look, you'll realise why I said two)... Please review people!**

**Thanks to **Sailor Rain Crystal**, and **Gaararoxmysox** for their reviews, this chapter is in honour of you!**

**Seadrance (& KiT)**

* * *

"Gaara… Gaara…" she called, then brushed her hand against his shoulder. "Are you asleep?"

"No, Temari," he said icily. "I don't sleep, remember?"

"Gomen, Gaara," she apologized. "We're in Konoha, and the Chuunin exams are right around the corner."

He said nothing.

An hour later, and the Suna trio were sitting in a large room, waiting with the other genin, all of varying ages and villages. They were all quite obviously beneath them; the idiots actually thought they had a chance.

The door banged open noisily, and Gaara looked up in irritation; the twelve young genin now entering were chattering and making a general ruckus. Their Konoha forehead protectors gave them away, and Gaara reaffirmed his belief that Konoha shinobi were sloppy and careless.

They looked like idiots, dressed in bright colours (orange in one case… _Orange_!), and all of them (well, almost all) had odd hair colours that stood out even more than his own blood-red hair. There was the boy in orange, who had bright, obnoxious blonde hair, an 'emo' boy, who looked like his dog had died, and a pink-haired kunoichi who was currently arguing with a blonde kunoichi.

He, like the rest of the room, was scrutinizing the bunch, though with much more contempt than the rest. Strangely, though not particularly noticeable by strength or appearance, a girl towards the back stood out to him; she had shoulder length brown hair, and… teal eyes. His aqua eyes widened. Coincidence, it had to-

"Ohmigawd! HITAOME!" a girl with black hair and startling blue eyes yelled.

His eyes narrowed; he had been wrong, it wasn't coincidence, it was _her_. Fury rose unbidden in his chest, his mind darkened, and the bloodlust crept into his thoughts like a living fog. The voice, the voice of his mother, whispered in his mind. Always velvet, always deadly and silky. He continued to stare at her, less powerful thoughts tried to dominate his mind.

'She's… beautiful.'

One made it, a single thought. The fog receded a little, and his mother's voice froze, flinching back in disgust. Thoughts, others, started to drift through, images of being beside her on a warm night, or of their childhood. His mother screamed, furious, and he gripped his hair tight.

'Sorry Mother.'

'She hurt you! You cannot trust her! KILL HER!'

'I'm sorry Mother!'

'Make her pay! Spill her blood!' his mother hissed. 'Make her hurt.'

He didn't reply, but watched as Hitaome and her friend talked rapidly.

"I didn't think you would come!" the black-haired girl said excitedly, releasing the brunette from a rather tight hug.

"As if I'd miss the Chuunin exams, Shiro-chan!" Hitaome laughed.

Her voice struck another chord inside him, dredging up memories that he'd long since suppressed. She had a voice that, regardless of how it may have sounded to others, sounded like that of an angel to him, or at one point it had; she'd saved him when they were younger, she'd given him solace.

He took her in more fully, unable to tear his gaze away. She was beautiful in his eyes, just as she had been when they were younger. In his eyes only, she was beautiful, because he knew her, and she had been his friend. She was pretty in appearance, but _she_ was beautiful.

"Hitaome!"

"Tansei-kun!"

Gaara glared at the boy who dared embrace her, not bothering to wonder why he cared so much; she'd abandoned him, left him to Death in Suna. His eyes widened as he felt something he hadn't in years; a tight, aching, stabbing pain in his heart. Why was their closeness hurting?

More and more thoughts flooded back, more memories of thoughts, more memories. Pain shot through his head as his mother grew angry, lashing out at the memories that were as much a part of him as his arms were. He groaned in pain, trying to bite back on the sound, but failing. She hadn't been this angry in so many years.

He realized that three people had noticed his pain; Temari and Kankurou shot him odd looks, and for a moment he wondered if he'd seen a flicker of concern in his… sister's eyes. The other… was Hitaome. Why did _she_ hear? Why was _she_ looking?

'DON'T LOOK AT ME!' he thought frantically. 'She'll be angry!'

He groaned again as pain wracked his head and body. He felt the blood-lust rising again, and the sand within his gourd shifted restlessly, his mother wanted blood. She wanted _her_ blood.

* * *

Hitaome saw him. Years had passed, yet the memories of the red-headed boy remained as vivid as ever. She saw him. Her first instinct was to run up to him and hug him, but they hadn't seen each other in years, and he probably didn't even remember her. He was in pain, it seemed, which was strange, she couldn't remember ever seeing Gaara in pain. 

"Gaara…" she murmured, so softly she wasn't even sure if she'd said it, or if she'd thought it.

His body shuddered, and his hands fell from where he'd been gripping his skull and hair, and he blinked blankly for a moment.

'That was… strange,' she thought, a little confused. 'I wonder what's wrong with him… maybe he's ill.'

A wave of nostalgia and déjà vu hit her as their eyes met, and time paused for them, still moving, but meaningless for the two. He was taller, and his features more defined, the little puppy-fat he'd had as a child had been stripped away by his training. His eyes, which had dominated his face when they were younger, seemed more proportional. He looked the same though, _he_ looked the same, though his appearance had changed.

"Hitaome… Hitaome? Hitaome!" Shiro asked, sounding a little frustrated. "Hitaome!"

Hitaome broke her gaze away, catching a flicker of anger in Gaara's eyes as she broke the connection. She looked at her friend.

"Yeah?" she asked a little dazedly.

"You've been staring for five minutes, are you okay?" Shiro queried, sounding concerned. She followed her best-friend's gaze. "Ah, I see, checking out the hotties."

"Che!" Hitaome tried to conceal her embarrassment. "No!"

Shiro was smirking like she had a secret. "'Course."

She looked back to Gaara, who had taken a seat on one of the desks, regardless of the competition glaring heatedly at him for being so bold, and found her thoughts confused. She didn't think of Gaara like that, did she? He'd been her first friend, and her best friend, at one point, but… the friendship had faded as they fell out of touch. Or had it? Had the years lessened their bond? Her hand brushed the concealed stone at her neck, and she decided something.

'I'll talk to him after the exams… Then I'll know,' she glanced around at the competition. 'If we live that long…'

* * *

**Ooh... ominous... well, not really, for those who've read the original... .-sweatdrop-.**

**Now for a bit of promotion for a friend.**

Sailor Rain Crystal** has written a brilliant story called _Crimson Lily of the Sound_, this is more than worth the read, but has only a very few reviews. The plot is brilliant, and it weaves together in a way I envy, the OCs are not Mary-sues despite their powers, and are completely believable, please check it out, and review for her, as people clearly don't know a good fic when they read it! I hope you don't mind me saying this, Rain... I can edit it out if you want!  
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**I think that's about it...**

** Oh, right, REVIEW, please... it will only take a few minutes...**

**Seadrance (& KiT)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry about the long wait, please enjoy it and remember to review! Rain, you haven't updated in forever!**

**Seadrance (& KiT)**

* * *

"This," the new proctor, a slightly sadistic woman in her mid twenties or so, gestured behind her to a dark, spooky forest. "Is the Forest of Death. It's not a misnomer, kids, so beware of the deadly…"

Hitaome stopped listening, her thoughts drifting back to Gaara; it was becoming a problem, because she and her team had only passed the first exam due to luck and a little stupidity. She'd been tuned out, and unable to concentrated on the exam due to thoughts of the red-head, and she'd thought that she'd failed her team for sure.

She'd been lucky that the tenth question was all you really needed to pass.

"Hitaome?" Tansei asked, snapping the brunette out of her thoughts.

"Eh? Gomen nasai, Tansei-kun," Hitaome blushed a little, embarrassed, and replied quickly, "I was daydreaming."

Tansei sighed and quirked an eyebrow. "Were you listening at all? Do you have any idea what Anko-san just said?"

"Um… I heard that it's called… the Forest of Death?" she replied, a questioning lilt sneaking into her voice.

Her team mate sighed again, running a hand through his hair. "Hitaome, this is a team, and for it to function properly, we all need to work together, we need to contribute.

"Our goal is to collect a scroll, the opposite one to ours, from another team, as we need both scrolls to pass the exam.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked concernedly. "You daydream constantly, and you were barely concentrating on the last exam."

"Uh… right, scrolls," she muttered distractedly, eyes slightly glazed.

Tansei was usually cool, calm and collected, having siblings that got on his nerves, he had to learn to keep calm under any circumstances; not to mention that was a skill ninja usually acquired at some point. Hitaome was the only person that managed to get under his skin, usurp his smooth, calm persona.

She frustrated him.

"Hitaome!" he yelled, eyes flashing.

She jumped, and he felt a little guilty. "H-hai?"

"You sure you're okay?" he asked, concerned for his team mate and friend.

Hitaome sighed, and Tansei felt his suspicion growing. She looked tired; no, _weary_, as though something was weighing down on her. Suddenly feeling protective, he wrapped an arm around her comfortingly, and felt her sigh into his shoulder again.

His heart stopped for that second-long embrace, though he released her quickly, maintaining the friend façade.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Tansei-kun. I promise."

The smile she sent him made the frustration of being around her worth it.

* * *

He always watched her now, it was distracting, which wasn't a good thing for Gaara. He was never distracted by people, unless he was planning their death, feeling the bloodlust sated, enjoying the rush of power as their screams broke the air. Yet Hitaome distracted him for a different reason entirely.

Gaara glared at Hitaome's team mate. The boy annoyed him, yet another distraction. Why was it that everything around Hitaome seemed to draw his unwilling attention?

He didn't like that boy, the boy who stood too close to Hitaome, who was looking at her with compassionate eyes. What right did that boy have?

They were talking, though, to his satisfaction, Hitaome seemed to be ignoring the boy.

"Hitaome!"

The sudden noise made the brunette girl jump in surprise, and Gaara narrowed his eyes.

The discussion continued, though this time Hitaome seemed more focused, and Gaara felt like killing that boy. Not just to satisfy the bloodlust, but for another reason, the same reason that Hitaome was able to draw his attention, he realized.

"Gaara, are you okay?" Kankuro's voice showed he was loathe to ask, and didn't really care about the answer.

"Hn," Gaara replied, trying to ignore the sweet embrace the two team mates were sharing, and the resulting anger in him.

* * *

The gates burst open, and Genins from every walk of life flooded the Forest of Death, falling into defensive formations, ready to take on the dangers that would threaten at any second.

Tansei was taking the lead, as usual, with Hitaome and Otaku following close behind.

They didn't have an official leader, but Tansei had fallen into the role without a real need to declare him as such. He was a natural leader, and they all recognized that.

Tansei was good looking and charismatic. He was able to coerce people like no one else Hitaome knew. He had quite a following of fangirls, no where near the proportions of Sasuke's, but a rather impressive bunch just the same.

He had less classic good looks than Sasuke, who had inherited all the beauty of his clan's blood, he had the kind of warm, earthy good looks that made you feel safe. Sasuke had the kind of ice-prince looks that made you swoon. He had somehow, magically, managed to avoid the awkwardness of the adolescent years.

He was like a prince from a storybook, charming, sweet, caring. Or the hero from every girl's dream; he was brave and strong. He was perfect, it seemed.

Despite the attention lavished upon him by his fangirls, it was Hitaome that he showed affection for. He had a soft spot when it came to her.

This was unsurprising. She was rather pretty, well proportioned, if somewhat lacking in curves, with that sweet look that children were known for. She had yet to enter the awkward, coltish years of adolescence.

She was a good kunoichi, and well known for her kekkei genkai and favourite genjutsu technique. It was a devastating technique, but it did have its downsides. It allowed the user to enter the mind of his or her victim, and pull forth all the bad memories and fears, incapacitating – or at least weakening – them.

However, the user had to be cold hearted, or else the pain of seeing the bad things in a person's life would cause them to weaken also. By using that technique, you were essentially walking blind; you had to sit through the memories, just like the person experiencing them.

"Halt," Tansei ordered softly, stopping. "We'll stop here."

"Hai!" Hitaome and Otaku replied, obeying.

"Otaku, any ideas on a good plan of action?" Tansei asked without hesitating.

While Tansei was leader, it was Otaku – the quiet, shy boy – who held all the tactical genius in their team. He spoke rarely, and was generally a gentle person, but he was a great advantage on missions.

"If we wait around the perimeter of the tower," he said softly, eyes meeting Tansei's, "We'll be able to take on the more tired, weakened teams that reach the area. It'll mean stiff competition though, I'm sure I won't be the only one with this idea…"

Hitaome closed her mouth, having been on the verge of saying this herself, and smiled at her team mate.

"If we conserve as much chakra as possible, but use a little to get there quickly, we'll have time to rest up and recover what we've lost, and eliminate the competition at the perimeter," Tansei pointed out.

"Exactly," Otaku agreed. "And we work well enough together to take out most teams."

Tansei shot Hitaome a warm grin. Too warm. She rolled her eyes, she hated it when he did that. When he was acting like a normal human being and not trying to be superhuman, he was a great guy, but when he decided to show off and play the hero like this, it was annoying.

She was disgusted to remember that at one stage of her life, she'd been enamored by the smile. Since becoming his team mate, the effect had worn off.

"Let's move out," Tansei was already crouching to leap onwards, and at his words, he sprang away into the trees, his team mates close behind.

* * *

They were covering ground swiftly, heading towards the tower at an impressive speed. They used as little chakra as was possible, but used enough to enhance their speed and jump distance.

The forest was eerie, and they were lucky to avoid conflict with several teams they passed by, though as they neared their goal, something caught Hitaome's attention.

Narrowing her eyes, she stopped still on a branch, feeling the bow bend and creak as it adjusted to the sudden movement.

Her team mates continued onwards for a few moments, then doubled back, realizing she'd stopped.

"Keep going guys," she said, trying to seem outwardly calm. "I'll catch up or meet you at the tower."

"That's dangerous Hitaome," Tansei disagreed. "You're good, but if you get cornered by a team, you're toast."

"I'm not going to battle anyone," she shot back, "I'll be right behind you, I promise."

"Hitaome," Tansei said, sounding firm. "Come with us. We don't want you getting hurt…"

"Tansei," she grit her teeth, and shot him a clearly forced smile. "Just go."

"Tansei, she'll be fine," Otaku chose to interject here. "She's a strong kunoichi, and if she has any trouble, she knows how to escape."

'Thank you, Otaku-kun,' Hitaome thought, mentally adding a few points to his scale in her mind.

"Fine," Tansei didn't look happy about the result, but against two of his team mates, he didn't really have a choice. "Meet us there by sunset, or we're coming back, got it?"

She nodded affirmatively.

Tansei shot her a look, and the two boys leapt away, vanishing from sight, though she could faintly feel their chakra.

However, it was another, sinister, powerful chakra that she turned her attention to. It had been both the distinctly dangerous chakra signal and the sight of something moving through the vegetation that caught her attention.

Suppressing her chakra as much as she could, she crept towards it, cautious about what she might find there.

She crouched behind a tree, concealed by undergrowth, and glanced around the trunk. Two teams were locked in combat, or rather, a member from each team did battle while the remaining members watched on in either horror or grim acceptance.

She frowned, pushing aside some of the leaves for a better view.

One of the two at battle was Gaara, and he was clearly the one with an advantage. His gourd was uncorked, and sand spilled across the small clearing like mist, encasing his opponent in a death grip.

Hitaome's eyes widened; Gaara really looked like he was going to kill the other genin. His expression was twisted with something she didn't want to identify, nor to ever associate with her old friend again. It was terrifying, and dread clutched her stomach as she realized that this was all too ordinary for him.

His team mates, his siblings, did nothing more than watch impassively, while the genin struggled fruitlessly, clearly terrified.

"Let him go!"

Hitaome froze. Shiro. That was Shiro's voice!

The genin boy twisted in Gaara's relentless hold, and Hitaome caught sight of his face. Mato.

She and Mato were friends, admittedly not as close as she and Shiro, but friends just the same. Gaara was going to kill one of her friends.

"No!"

Gaara's attention flickered to her instantly, though the sand did not release its victim.

"Hi-Hitaome!" Shiro sounded relieved and surprised; her eyes were wide and scared.

"Let him go!" Hitaome demanded, running to stand by Shiro.

Gaara's arms dropped, and he folded them in front of his chest, causing the sand to drop away from Mato. Though the action took only seconds, it seemed too long to Hitaome. Any time was too long.

"What the Hell are you doing?" She shouted.

She couldn't quite believe it. Why had Gaara done that? Why had he proven all the kids back in Suna right? Why was he acting like a monster?

His eyes unnerved her, completely blank as they swept across her face. She knew her face was flush with fear, and her heart was hammering. Gaara had achieved something he had never been able to do before; he had scared her.

"Temari, Kankuro, let's go," he ordered coldly.

The two elder siblings obeyed instantly, and all three turned to leave.

This angered Hitaome; Mato was her friend, and Gaara had harmed him, intended to kill him, and he was simply walking away?

"Hey!"

Gaara paused, a barely visible hesitation in his step.

"Get back here!"

This time he stopped, turning to face her with narrowed eyes.

"What?" he asked coolly, tone neutral, though dangerously so.

"I'm not done with you!"

"Hitaome… please don't!" Shiro whispered, looking scared. "He's dangerous!"

"Shiro, shut up. I know what I'm doing," Hitaome's voice was fierce.

The blonde girl spoke. "You know, girlie, if you were smart you'd listen to that friend of yours."

"And if your brother was smart, he wouldn't mess with my friends!" Hitaome shot back.

"You don't know who you're talking to," Gaara murmured.

"I think I do," she leveled her glare, meeting his eyes squarely. "Sabaku no Gaara."

The fear was obliterated by the anger now, which she wasn't entirely sure was a good thing. But it was worth it either way for the look on the red-head's face. His eyes widened, and a flicker of true emotion passed across his features.

* * *

Shiro whimpered, clamping her eyes shut, and sealing her ears. She didn't want to hear her friend scream, she didn't want to listen to Hitaome beg or cry. She didn't want to have this moment in her memories for the rest of time.

She was vaguely aware of her team mates mimicking her, but her attention was within herself.

'Kami-sama protect,' she thought desperately. 'Spare Hitaome, I beg of you.'

* * *

So she did remember him.

'It doesn't matter!' Mother shrieked, enraged. 'Kill her! She has hurt you! And now she dares to challenge you, to show you disrespect! Feed the earth with her blood!'

'Mother…'

He clutched his head, groaning in pain as his Mother's anger sparked a severe headache. Mother's voice was agonizing to him, as though every word was forced into his skull like a screw.

"Gaara?" Temari asked. "A-are you okay?"

"Leave me alone," he hissed venomously.

'Kill the traitorous bitch!' Mother screeched.

Whimpering softly, he pulled his trembling hands from his head, stilling them through sheer force of will, and performing the seals necessary.

* * *

"Wh-what's he doing?" Shiro's voice was high-pitched with fear.

Hitaome ignored her, summoning her own chakra with her teeth gritted; what she intended to do would take perfect timing, and even better control. She felt guilty to do this, but Gaara had threatened her friends.

The sand, which had been shifting restlessly, but remained low and unthreatening, began to rise again, and Gaara's eyes froze over.

"Now," Hitaome murmured.

She sought his eyes, heedless of the sand swirling dangerously around her, and released her technique.

* * *

The sand fell limp, as though life had been wrenched from it, collapsing to the forest floor, still as death.

The shinobi and the kunoichi were still, bodies relaxed but upright, seemingly frozen in time. They didn't blink, not once, and their eyes remained connected, icy on fiery.

"Wha-…" Temari stared at her younger brother, too cautious to approach him in such a state. "What the fuck did she do to him?"

Shiro opened her eyes, removing her hands from her ears and felt relief flood her. Hitaome was safe and well, she had launched her jutsu before Gaara could harm her.

'Thank you, Kami-sama.'

"That's her technique," Shiro replied, shakily running a hand through her hair. "She infiltrates the enemy's mind and turns their worst memories and thoughts into a torture especially for them. It's her Kekkei Genkai."

* * *

It was all wrong. It was dark and black, and it surrounded her completely.

Wrong, wrong, wrong!

So dark, the eternal ebony stretched around her, complete and endless.

"This is wrong," she whispered, hand flying instinctively to the small stone at her throat, as it always did when she was scared or unsure. "He's supposed to be here too."

As though her voice was a trigger, sound began to surround her. The sniffles of a terrified child, sniffles which became sobs.

She felt fresh pain, his and hers.

She whimpered, nails digging into her palms.

'It's not supposed to be like this, it's not supposed to be like this, it's not supposed to be like this,' she chanted mentally.

This never happened, she was physically feeling his pain. The emotional torment he experienced was flooding her. It was agony.

Her technique caused her superficial pain, and soul-deep agony for those she used it against. This was agony for her.

Blindly, she stumbled forwards, and suddenly she could see.

"Yashamaru!" Gaara screamed.

He was sitting before her, rocking slowly. Sand stirring around him, swirling about his small form. She couldn't see the current Gaara, the Gaara upon whom she'd used the technique.

It was only the small one and she.

"Why am I the only one who is a monster?" the small Gaara asked of the air, crying.

She was a phantom in this plane, but just the same she wrapped her arms gently around the small child, weeping into his insubstantial shoulder. The sand flew about them, ignorant of her presence, and ripped at his forehead, carving a symbol into the flesh.

Blood streaked his forehead and he screamed in pain, hands becoming claw-like as he forced himself to remain as he was, to allow the sand its task.

Then she was alone again, in the absolute dark.

Flashes of his life, agonizing moments that she felt as clearly as he did, appeared around her, less of the actual memories, and more of the emotion tore through.

"No more," she whispered, crying softly. "No more."

* * *

Hitaome dropped to the ground, and Shiro shot forwards, along with Mato. Together they carried Hitaome away from the dangerous red-head, Shiro painfully aware of her friend's tears. What had Gaara done? How did he turn Hitaome's technique back on herself?

Hitaome gave a short, muffled cry, and bolted upright, her hands flying to her throat.

"Hitaome-chan?" Shiro panicked. "Can you breathe? Did he hurt you?"

Hitaome shook her head, breathing rapidly and fingers clutching at a chain.

"'m fine," she said, voice trembling and words unconvincing. "Help me up."

* * *

Gaara stumbled forwards, head lowered, and his hands raised to grip his head a second, though he swiped them away quickly, viciously, as though he hated the habitual action.

"Gaara?" Temari stepped forwards, hardly believing her daring. "Are you okay?"

He shot her a vicious glare, his eyes shimmering with utter rage.

Only because she had watched him all her life, had come to know him as well as one could, did she realize that tears wet them.

* * *

Hitaome stood, leaning on her friends until she knew her legs would support her.

Gaara was looking at her, and she gazed back, not wanting to meet his eyes, but unable to stop herself.

Betrayl, anger, hurt, sorrow, hatred.

His eyes burned into her, and she realized that she hadn't been alone in those memories. He had been there too. Where? It had only been she and the younger him…

And then she realized… Gaara was still a wounded child. He was still trapped within the painful memories, even without her influence. People appeared alongside her in those memories because they were no longer the people they had been in those memories, because the events in those memories had changed who they were.

Gaara hadn't changed. He was only shielding himself with a false exterior. Only that exterior was a shield even to himself. Gaara was so lost in his masks he had forgotten who he was.

* * *

"We're leaving."

Gaara's voice was steady and betrayed no emotion.

And the siblings left.

* * *

"Hitaome?" Shiro shook her friend lightly. "Hitaome-chan, are you okay?"

"H-hai, Shiro-chan," Hitaome shook herself, offering a watery smile. "Sorry for scaring you… just a little… overwhelmed."

Shiro looked at her doubtfully. "Where's your team, do you want us to take you back?"

Hitaome cast a look upwards, and realized that the sun was probably beginning to set by now.

She shook her head. "No offence but I'll be quicker on my own. Thank you."

Hitaome released the stone shakily, and nodded to Shiro.

"Hey, Hitaome?" Mato smiled at her, looking shaken from his ordeal. "Thank you… for saving my life, I mean."

"Just don't make me need to do it again," she smiled, trying to push the emotions aside. "See ya at the tower guys."

She leapt away, the wind blowing away the last few tears, and the smile with them.

'What happened to you, Gaara?'

* * *

**OMFG, 11 pages… -dies-**

**Well, hope you lot enjoyed this! It got a bit rushed towards the end, but I hope it was up to scratch anyways! Please Review.**

**  
Seadrance (& KiT)**


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